As a part of the numerous changes taking place on Monday, the Redskins reportedly could look to shake up their medical staff as well.
If Washington Redskins fans were to make a list at the start of the season of things they’d like to see happen in order to change the losing culture, it would likely go as follows:
#FireBruceAllen
Fire Jay Gruden
Get rid of the medical training staff
Two of those boxes have been checked off, and the third is reportedly close to happening as well. According to NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay, the major upheaval in the Redskins organization on Monday could reach all the way to the training room, where head trainer Larry Hess could find his job at stake.
Check that – sounds like Larry Hess could be under serious scrutiny too. Stay tuned.
The Redskins have had a muddled injury history over the past several years, and they finished this season with 24 players on the injured reserve list. They’ve also been gifted much of the blame regarding left tackle Trent Williams, who claims that they severely misdiagnosed a tumor on his scalp that ended up being cancerous. According to Williams’ side of the story, the medical staff had been monitoring the growth for six years while telling him that it was nothing to worry about. Williams had the cancerous growth removed earlier this year, and he has been holding out from the team ever since.
With a new GM likely to be named, and a new coach on his way to Ashburn, it seems fitting that new medical staff could be implemented as well. All of these injuries over the past few years can’t be the result of coincidence. A change was needed at the top of the Redskins organization, and it happened on Monday morning. Now it’s time for that change to trickle on down to the medical staff as well.
Both Trent Williams and Josh Norman had questionable relationships with Bruce Allen, but now that the team president is out, what changes?
Obviously, some incremental changes are being made in Washington right now. The Redskins made the decision to fire team president Bruce Allen after 10 years of work on Monday morning, and they’re expected to sign former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera by the day’s end.
While this information is pertinent to answer some questions about what might happen in the franchise’s immediate future, it also poses a couple personnel questions down the road — mainly, what is going to happen with LT Trent Williams and CB Josh Norman?
Let’s start with Williams first. As a seven-time Pro-Bowler, Williams entered 2019 as the un-rivaled star of the Redskins, and his presence on the offensive line was easily the best thing that the team had going for them. Unfortunately, a rift between himself, the team’s medical staff, and Allen had grown to dangerous levels, and it led to Williams holding out from the team for the entire season, where he was eventually placed on the NFI list.
A lot of the tension surrounding Williams had something to do with Allen, who he reportedly did not get along with. It was reported that Allen placed Williams on the NFI, not guaranteeing his 2019 salary, out of spite due to Williams meeting with the media earlier that week and airing his grievances about the team. Now that Allen is gone, where does that leave Williams?
Technically, Trent is still a member of the Redskins, and he is under contract for one more season. The 31-year-old left tackle has been aiming to get a new contract signed before he plays again so that he has some finances secured in case of injury, or the team could choose to trade him. He has a strong relationship with team owner Dan Snyder, who could offer Williams a nice new contract if that’s what it would take to get him to return. There is nothing official yet, but the Redskins may have a path to getting Williams back now that Allen is gone.
As for Josh Norman, it is the hiring of his former coach, Ron Rivera, that is interesting. Norman played under Rivera for several years in Carolina with the Panthers, and he has a solid relationship with both him and defensive coordinator Steve Wilkes, who is rumored to be coming to Washington as well.
Norman has had a tough 2019 season, and he’s seen his time on the field dwindled down to none in order to get young players some experience. It has long been assumed that Norman, who has a $12.5 million cap hit in 2020, will be playing for a new team next season. However, a new coaching staff could change things. That’s not to say that Norman is suddenly going to rewind the clock and turn into the lock-down corner of old, but his veteran presence could be beneficial to the Washington locker room.
Things are changing at the top of the Redskins’ organization, and it is likely to have ripple effects long down the line. We can’t wait to see how this all plays out.
The Redskins are expected to hire Ron Rivera as the next head coach in Washington, making him the ninth HC since 2000.
The
Former Panthers’ HC Ron Rivera is expected to be hired as the next head coach of the Washington Redskins barring any unforeseen developments, per sources.
It hasn’t taken long for the Washington Redskins to get things into motion during the 2019 offseason.
On Monday morning, the Redskins plan to hire Ron Rivera as the next head coach in Washington, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Rivera, who was fired by the Carolina Panthers earlier this season, will be the ninth head coach to be employed in Washington since 2000.
Though he was fired by the Panthers in early December after starting 2019 with a 5-7 record and losing four straight, Rivera is still a highly respected head coach in the NFL, and he’s had great success in the past with Carolina. He took over the Panthers job in 2011 and led the team to three NFC South titles, as well as a super bowl appearance in 2015. He was also named a two-time Associated Press coach of the year, and he posted an overall regular-season record of 76-63-1 in Carolina.
Considering the type of turmoil that has been present in Washington over the past decade, Rivera is to be seen as a great ‘get’ for the Redskins. Rivera will likely bring some much-needed stability to the program, and his experience working with a young Cam Newton in years past will surely help him develop Dwayne Haskins.
Now that the Redskins have a solid foundation at the top of the coaching pyramid, they’ll likely be able to fill out several positions down the line. It’s highly possible that a number of position coaches in Washington receive some unpleasant calls on Monday, leading them to look for work. We will keep you updated as those changes are announced.
The Washington Redskins have fired team president Bruce Allen, effective immediately, according to ESPN’s John Keim.
Team owner Dan Snyder announced on Monday morning that Allen, who has been acting general manager and team president for the Redskins for 10 years now, will be relieved of all duties and no longer be with the organization. It was rumored this weekend that Allen would have the football operations part of his job stripped, but this move went one step further by removing him altogether.
For the Washington Redskins, who are expected to hire former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera on Monday, this has to feel like Christmas morning all over again, as fans who have been relentlessly calling for Allen to be fired have finally gotten their wish.
There is change coming in Washington, and it finally started at the top with the removal of Allen.
It was a somber scene for Allen after the Redskins final game of the season, as the team president will likely be without a job soon.
Things are changing quickly in the Washington Redskins organization, and team president Bruce Allen seems to be at the center of it all.
A report on Saturday night, broken by NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay, surfaced that Allen would have football operation duties taken from him on Monday, and he would see his role significantly change with the Redskins. No longer would Allen be able to play fantasy football with the roster in Washington, but rather he would likely be relegated to oversee the building of a new stadium in the D.C. area.
This all happened before the Redskins played their final game of the season — a 47-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. After the game, Allen was seen in the tunnels of the stadium, walking by himself and avoiding the elephant in the room. At one point, according to multiple reports, Allen told the media that he would talk to them tomorrow when asked about his uncertain future.
Then he pushed open the stadium door and walked out into the chilly north Texas night. Just as he did, a group of police motorcycles roared up the tunnel behind him, leading Snyder’s motorcade. Just weeks ago, he would have been inside one of those SUVs. On Sunday, he didn’t turn when they rumbled past.
Black Monday is a dreaded day for middling head coaches in the NFL, but it could be even worse for Allen. After 10 years of failing as a general manager, he may finally have to own up to his mistakes and watch as he’s stripped of his duties. At this point, it seems more like a question of when it will all happen, rather than if it will.
With the postseason scenarios all determined, Touchdown Wire unveils its final NFL Power Rankings of the 2019 regular season.
As the 2019 NFL regular season came to an end Sunday, I thought back to the start of the season and realized that things turned out very differently than I expected.
I also write for Street & Smith’s magazines, and I pulled out a copy of their season preview and reviewed my predictions and the magazine’s collective predictions. Let’s just say I was off by a mile in some cases, and the magazine was right on some and very wrong on others.
For the sake of humility, let’s start with my Super Bowl pick. I had the Rams defeating the Chargers. In reality, neither team made the playoffs. The overall magazine staff picked the Saints to defeat the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. That prediction remains in play.
Perhaps my worst pick was selecting Baltimore to finish last in the AFC North. Here’s where the Ravens and the other 31 teams stand in Touchdown Wire’s final regular season Power Rankings.
32. Cincinnati Bengals
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
(2-14. Last week: 32)
The Bengals were predictably bad with a new coach, Zac Taylor, and a roster that doesn’t have much talent. There were no miracles in Cincinnati as the Bengals just kept losing. Does Taylor even get a second season? Probably so. Owner Mike Brown stuck with coach Marvin Lewis through some rough times. Taylor likely will get a bit more time to try to turn things around. The only good news out of this season is that the Bengals will get the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft. At the moment, virtually everyone is projecting that to be LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, the Heisman Trophy winner. Scouts and draftniks say he’s NFL ready. That means he’ll help the Bengals right from the start. But this team needs much more than a change at quarterback to turn things around.
31. Washington Redskins
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
(3-13. Last week: 31)
There are big changes coming in Washington after a hugely disappointing season. Coach Jay Gruden was fired during the season. Team president Bruce Allen reportedly will be stripped of his football operations duties, although he may remain with the team, with his main role being to help the Redskins get a new stadium. That would be a good move. Despite being the son of legendary coach George Allen, Bruce Allen is not a football guy. In his 10 years in Washington, the Redskins won zero playoff games. They need a football guy at the top, and they need a new coach. Owner Dan Snyder is likely to make a splash hire for the coaching job because he needs to revive a frustrated fan base. The only bright spot to this season was rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins. He still has a long way to go, but he showed promise at times.
30. Detroit Lions
Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
(3-12-1. Last week: 30)
Coach Matt Patricia has had two dismal seasons. But his job is safe. The team already has announced that Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn will return next season. Ownership likely gave Patricia a pass because he was without injured quarterback Matthew Stafford for much of the season. Stafford should be back and healthy next year. But Quinn and Patricia need to bring in more talent on both sides of the ball in the offseason. Owner Martha Ford isn’t going to remain patient forever. Patricia needs to win in 2020 or else he’ll be gone.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
(6-10. Last week: 29)
One of the more disappointing teams in the league, the Jaguars were supposed to bounce back from a rough 2018 season and get back to the form they showed in the 2017 season, when they made it to the AFC Championship Game. Much of the hype came because they signed free-agent quarterback Nick Foles. But Foles got hurt in the season opener, and the Jaguars turned to sixth-round rookie Gardner Minshew, who played surprisingly well. Now, the dilemma for next year is whether to start Foles or Minshew. The competition between those two in the preseason probably will be one of the most interesting storylines in the league in the summer. It remains to be seen if coach Doug Marrone will be back after two disappointing seasons. The Jaguars already fired executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin and may decide to have a thorough housecleaning.
28. New York Giants
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
(4-12. Last week: 27)
The Giants have been patient with coaches for most of their history. But that changed when Ben McAdoo was fired after two seasons. Pat Shurmur could follow the same track after two disappointing seasons. But his saving grace could be that he’s got the nucleus of a good young offense in place. Second-year running back Saquon Barkley is one of the best all-around players in the league, and rookie quarterback Daniel Jones showed promise. But it’s up to the front office to improve the offensive line and defense. If Shurmur survives, he likely will make some changes to his coaching staff.
27. Miami Dolphins
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
(5-11. Last week: 28)
Although Miami stunned New England with a victory Sunday, this was not a great year for the Dolphins. Early in the season, there was speculation that the Dolphins were losing on purpose to get the No. 1 overall draft pick. There was even talk of an 0-16 season, which seemed quite possible after an 0-7 start. For whatever reason, Miami stayed with veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick for most of the season instead of going with second-year pro Josh Rosen, who was a first-round pick by Arizona last year. The Dolphins gave Rosen only a brief look, so it’s obvious he’s not their future. Miami still will have the No. 5 overall draft pick. Will the Dolphins’ quarterback of the future be available at that spot?
26. Carolina Panthers
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
(5-11. Last week: 26)
There will be major changes in Carolina this offseason after a disappointing season that ended with an embarrassing loss to New Orleans on Sunday. There will be a coaching change. Ron Rivera was fired during the season and replaced by interim coach Perry Fewell. It’s safe to say Fewell won’t get the permanent job. Owner David Tepper seems poised to hire a big name as he continues to distance the current team from its past. The more intriguing storyline is at quarterback. Cam Newton missed all but two games with a foot injury and was also coming off major shoulder surgery. He may no longer be the long-term answer. Plus, Newton’s contract makes him vulnerable. He’s scheduled to make $21 million next season, but the Panthers could clear $19 million in cap space by trading or cutting Newton.
25. Los Angeles Chargers
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
(5-11. Last week: 25)
Another of the league’s most disappointing teams, the Chargers are likely to have some major changes in the offseason. Head coach Anthony Lynn might be pressured into making changes to his coaching staff. But the bigger change could come at quarterback. Philip Rivers’ contract is up and he doesn’t appear to have much left. The Chargers still have plenty of talent, so don’t expect them to blow up the roster. Drafting a quarterback would set the franchise back. The Chargers might be better off bringing in a free agent such as Teddy Bridgewater. Someone like Bridgewater could fix this team in a hurry.
The anticipated hiring of Ron Rivera may play a major role in OC Kevin O’Connell’s future with the Redskins.
If you’re hip to what’s going on in the Washington Redskins organization, you probably have a lot of questions and very few answers.
Who are the Redskins going to hire as the new head coach? What will happen with team president Bruce Allen? If Allen is relieved of his duties, who will take over football operations? Will the new coach bring in his own guys, or will current coordinators keep their jobs?
In times like this, it’s always dangerous to assume anything, but in order to figure out what’s likely to happen, a few assumptions must be made. To pose this question, we are going to assume the following things, both of which seem likely to happen: 1) Ron Rivera is hired as the Redskins head coach on Monday, and 2) Bruce Allen is relieved of his football operation duties and no longer has a say in personnel decisions. Okay, so here’s the question.
What is going to happen to offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell?
KOC is an up-and-coming offensive mind who has done a great job remaking the Redskins offense and developing rookie QB Dwayne Haskins this season. His name was floated as a potential candidate for the HC position early in the year, but nothing much came of it. What’s a more pertinent question now is whether or not he will stay in Washington as the OC.
It’s highly possible that Rivera would like to fill out his own coaching staff with people he’s worked with before. It’s also possible that team owner Dan Snyder says that KOC is to stay in place, where he is growing a budding offense that has some serious potential. There’s also a scenario where KOC chooses to skip town, following in a long line of young and bright offensive minds that the Redskins have allowed to slip through their fingers and find greener grass elsewhere.
At this point, one of those options doesn’t feel like it’s more likely than the other two, but what makes the most sense is for KOC to stay on as offensive coordinator and continue the growth that he’s sparked this season. Redskins fans will be on pins and needles waiting for the announcement of their new coach on Monday, but they should also pay attention to what happens with O’Connell. He’s proved to be just as important as anyone else on the Washington coaching staff.
Washington will likely hire a coach and name a new general manager over the next few days, so we offered our predictions on who they name.
The Washington Redskins got the job done on Sunday.
Of course, that ‘job’ was losing to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17, ensuring that they finish the 2019 season with three wins, 13 losses, and the No. 2 draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Now that the regular season is over, the real fun and games can begin.
Over the next several weeks, or possibly the next several days, Dan Snyder and the Redskins will make a few decisions that potentially change the future outlook of the team, and could get them back onto a winning path in Washington.
Obviously, we can’t predict the future, but let’s break down what we feel is likely to happen with the Redskins over the next few days.
Redskins Name Marvin Lewis as Head Coach
His name was the most recent to pop up on the Redskins’ coaching wish list, and that could end up being the biggest indicator that he will be the next in line in Washington.
Lewis may not be the biggest name that the Redskins could hire, but he is a source of stability, and whether Washington fans will admit it or not, he possesses a load of experience in the NFL and has found ways to get the job done in the regular season. His 0-7 playoff record in 16 years with the Cincinnati Bengals is definitely troubling, but a perfect coaching hire might not exist for Washington. Eric Bienemy and Mike McCarthy are likely to take better jobs, and Ron Rivera might weigh his options for longer than the Redskins want to wait.
Put Eric Schaffer in Charge of Football Operations
Bruce Allen was relieved of his duties regarding football operations over the weekend, which is the first and most necessary step towards ridding the Redskins of his fingerprints. With Allen taking a refocused role that has little to do with the on-field product, Washington will be looking for someone to take over player personnel and football ops, likely under the name of General Manager. A few big names like Urban Meyer and Lous Riddick have been floated, but it seems unlikely that such a big fish would take on the undesirable job of remaking the Redskins. Rather, we think that Eric Schaffer is the right man for the job.
Schaffer is already in the building, where he currently acts as the Senior Vice President of Football Operations. He has been with the team for 17 seasons and has recently taken on a bigger role in personnel decisions and contract negotiations. Schaffer is often credited with a lot of Washington’s draft success over the past couple of seasons, and he would likely be able to step into a bigger GM-type role seamlessly.
Fire Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky
Manusky has coached his last game for the Redskins, that much has been made obviously clear. The Redskins gave up TK points again on Sunday against the Cowboys, which is the eighth time this season they’ve given up 30-plus.
Manusky was rumored to be close to an exit last season, but the team kept him on and actually allowed a decent amount of buzz to build before the season, with the Redskins defense looking like it might be pretty decent. That all came crashing down in the first few weeks of the year, and since then it’s been a race to the finish. There have not yet been many words on who the Redskins would look to replace Manusky at the DC position, but we know that Manusky is not long for the job.
It could end up being a highly eventful Black Monday in Washington as the team looks to hire a new coach and GM.
Black Monday — the first day of the offseason for all teams who failed to make the playoffs — is guaranteed to be an interesting one for the Washington Redskins.
News broke on Saturday night that team owner Dan Snyder hopes to make some significant changes to the day-to-day operations for the football team, which could see team president Bruce Allen overseeing less of the football operations in Washington.
It is now also being reported that Snyder would like to announce a new head coach hiring on Monday — a day when most struggling franchises choose to cut ties with their play-callers. There are several names that have been floated to take over the head job, including Ron Rivera, Marvin Lewis, and Eric Bienemy. Whoever accepts the job seemingly won’t have to answer to Allen anymore, says The Washington Posts Les Carpenter.
Whoever the new coach is, it appears increasingly likely he won’t be reporting to Allen. Several people with knowledge of the situation said Allen will move to a different role inside the organization, one that probably will involve overseeing the building of a new stadium — one of Snyder’s highest priorities.
If the coaching position is filled on Monday, that will leave Snyder the GM role to worry about, and there have been a few intriguing names floated for that position as well. Certain big-time options like Urban Meyer or Louis Riddick have been thrown out, but there is no real traction on whether or not those people are being seriously considered, or are seriously considering the job.
Whoever ends up filling the vacant roles in Washington, though, is likely to step into their new position on Monday. While several teams around the league are looking to rid of their coaches and start anew, the Redskins could be getting a jump on the rebuilding game, and start building for the future.
